The Doom of Guest Blogging? Go the Natural Way

We’ve all heard it before – going natural is the best way to stay healthy, fit and young. So what is the connection between being natural and guest blogging for SEO? They should go together (as my favourite uncle would say) like biscuits and butter.

Guest blogging will be argued by a lot of experts to be a thing of the past — nay, doomed beyond all hopes of redemption! That’s because a lot of the guest posts being tossed around are made for SEO purposes and link building alone. It was the best option at the turn of the century, but wake up! It’s the 21st century. How Google came up with the algorithms to penalise link-building posts (keyword rich articles), is both a boon and a bane.

Whisking May Not Be Enough

You need to blend your article writing technique with that of the writing style of your partner site (the publisher of your content). This sets a natural tone of the writer with that of yours. But how do you decipher this? Who has time to read through your partner site’s many blogs and articles? Well, skimming is the key! The trained eye of a skilled blogger can skim the potential partner’s site and get the “feel” for their tone of voice. They can see catch phrases like “leap of faith,” “every man for himself” or idioms like “in the long run” or conjunctions like “however,” “moreover” and the like. This is one of those advanced content marketing services technique which makes it appear as if you have been writing for that partner site all your life.

Picasso for a Picasso

We all like looking at pictures that catch our attention. We like pictures that tell a story, a method or just plain give information. In the internet world, these are what we call infographics. If you can blend in your infographics with that of your partner site’s infographics, then your natural score just went up a notch higher. We’re not saying that you hire their artists to create your IG’s. Just mimic their styles. This again can make your guest post look natural as if it was one of theirs to begin with.

A Photographer’s Eye for Colour

Ask any professional photographer about colour and he will tell you that the best light and shade combination involves colours that blend naturally. Still the magic word = natural. Have a look at your partner website’s images and photographs and answer the following questions before moving on:

Do their images have the same feel as your intended article?

What are the colour tones and shades of their images? Is it just like yours?

Is the colour theme of their photographs similar to yours?

If the differences are too striking, you may want to consider choosing a different one. One that seems to have come from their very own graphic stockpile.

I have the Gavel

…And so I have the authority. You should always reference the more authoritative sites to ensure Google knows your article was well-researched. This jacks up the TrustRank of your article tenfold because of your authoritative links. You can also use some of the images that came from these sites. Images can be a screenshot of a quotation, a picture of miscellaneous things, a procedural flow or a picture of a person. Authoritative site examples include: Wikipedia, BBC, etc.

Follow my Lead

Finally, if your article is a “How to” article, you should create a short sample procedure based on your knowledge of the topic and simply create a reference link to your authoritative sources. This will become a good quality reference for searchers looking for your instructions. Samples of these are “How to save on your electric bills” or “The many uses of baking soda”.

We will never see the end of Google’s rules on what the good and bad links are. But we can always create good quality content that can build an audience and keep them. And if by chance links are part of it, then it’s a bonus that should be received with outstretched arms.

About The Author: Joe Ryan is the Founder & CEO of Digital Search Group, a UK online marketing agency that specialises in smart internet marketing. He is a specialist in online marketing strategy and brand building. When he’s not considering the next best online marketing strategy with his team, he enjoys travel and spending time with his family.